Healthy Living

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Screenings are essential to men’s health

Father’s Day is a time to honor our fathers, uncles, brothers, sons and
friends with gifts, praise and fun events. It is also an
appropriate time to tell your father and all of the men close to you
that it’s important to stay educated and on top of his health.

Let this Father’s Day, June 20, serve as a reminder to contact your
doctor to schedule checkups and screenings that help lower risks of
cancer, diabetes, heart disease and others conditions. Take this
opportunity to remind your father to do the same.

Click here to
make a donation to Columbia St. Mary’s Foundation in honor of your
father, and dads everywhere. Include your father’s information in the
“Honor/Memorial Gift and Notification” section as well as a personal
message (if you choose) in the Comment section and we will send a note
of thanks on your behalf.

Alarming Statistics

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention:

12 percent of men, ages 18 and older, are in fair or poor
health.

Only 34 percent of men, ages 18 and older, participate in
regular physical activity in their leisure-time.

23 percent of men, ages 18 and older, currently smoke.

31 percent of men, ages 20 and older, have hypertension.

32 percent of men, ages 20 and older, are obese.

With these alarming statistics, men need to be aware that getting the
right screenings at the right time is an essential step to maintaining
health and can find issues such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease
early.

Cancer

Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of death from
cancer and men have a higher risk than women. Screenings for colon and
colorectal cancer should begin at age 50 for average-risk adults, most
commonly with a colonoscopy.

Testicular cancer most often occurs between the ages of
20 and 54. The American Cancer Society recommends that all men have a testicular
exam during any routine physical.

Prostate cancer can be detected with a prostate
specific antigen (PSA) blood test. The American Urological
Society recommends a first time PSA test at age 40.

Skin cancer can appear across all ages and genders, but
older men are twice as likely as women to develop melanoma, the most
dangerous form of skin cancer. Men are two to three times as likely to
get non-melanoma skin cancers. The American Cancer Society and the
American Academy of Dermatology recommend regular self-exams,
checking for changes such as color, shape or size to the marks on your
skin. Follow-up with a dermatologist is suggested if something causes
concern.

Diabetes, if uncontrolled, can lead to heart disease, kidney
disease, stroke, impotence, blindness and nerve damage. If detected
early, with a fasting plasma glucose test, diabetes can
be controlled with exercise, diet, weight
loss and medication. This test should occur every three years starting
at age 45.

Men, ages 40 and older, have a one in eight chance of suffering sudden
cardiac death. This risk is even higher for African-American
men. Most of the nearly 300,000 Americans who suffer sudden cardiac
arrest have not been diagnosed with heart disease. This is why is it so
important to know the risk factors and screenings that can detect a
heart problem. Risk factors for heart disease include high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. Periodontal disease and poor
dental health are also linked to heart disease.

Genes, diet, fitness level, stress level and overall health all play a
role in men’s heart health. To keep their hearts healthy, men should not
smoke, exercise regularly, eat a high-fiber diet that is low in sweets
and saturated fats, maintain a healthy weight and maintain normal blood
pressure and cholesterol levels.

Risks of hypertension and high blood pressure increase
with age and can be related to weight and lifestyle. It is important to
know your blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 or below. High
blood pressure is 140/90 or above. Any number in between is
hypertension.

High levels of LDL or “bad” cholesterol causes plaque
to build up in the artery walls which increases risk of heart disease.
Men, ages 20 and over, should have the fasting blood lipid panel
– a blood test that measures the levels of LDL cholesterol, HDL or
“good” cholesterol and triglycerides or blood fats. The results of this
test can determine what can be done to reduce risk of heart disease,
diabetes and stroke.

For more information on Columbia St. Mary’s Cardiovascular Services,
please click
here.